“Turn Back Now” was a labour of persistence in the studio. Co-producer Tyler Semrick-Palmateer and Landi wrestled with two key elements: the snare drum and the vocals. Taking inspiration from Steve Ferrone’s work on Tom Petty’s Wildflowers, they opted for an unusually high snare tuning that initially felt out of place but ultimately sat perfectly within the mix. Meanwhile, despite re-recording vocals on a high-end microphone, nothing matched the raw emotion of Landi‘s original demo take—so they kept it, preserving the authenticity that makes the song shine.

Sometimes, as a songwriter, if you’re tapped in at the right moment, you get lucky and a song comes to you fully formed. You’re not exactly sure what it’s about or where it came from, but over time it starts to make sense and reveal its meaning. “Turn Back Now” is one of those songs for me. – Peter Landi

With influences ranging from Tom Petty and Oasis to Queens of the Stone Age, Landi crafts songs that feel both timeless and fresh. “Turn Back Now” continues his streak of hook-laden, melody-driven releases, further establishing his unique voice in the alternative rock scene.

Peter Landi is a multi-instrumentalist hailing from the East End of Long Island, New York. Now based in Toronto, he has spent nearly a decade immersing himself in the Canadian music scene. Shortly after relocating, he joined the punk outfit Single Mothers and has since become a sought-after touring and studio drummer for artists like Julianna Riolino, Nicolette & The Nobodies, Espanola, Eamon McGrath, and The Drew Thomson Foundation.

During the pandemic, Landi revisited old demos, unlocking a new phase in his songwriting. His first single, “High,” was featured in the critically acclaimed IFC Canadian slasher film In A Violent Nature.

Shortly after moving to Toronto, Landi joined forces with Canadian punks, Single Mothers, and has since become an in-demand touring and studio drummer for artists like Julianna Riolino, Espanola, Eamon McGrath, The Drew Thomson Foundation, and many more. Like his peers, Landi was uncertain about his future during March of 2020. Canceled tours gave him time to comb through his demos, sparking a new phase in his songwriting. The result was a collection of singles that were lyrically personal in a new sonic landscape. His first single, “High,” was featured in this year’s critically acclaimed IFC Canadian slasher film, In A Violent Nature. 

The latest offering from that collection, “Somewhere,” is about the unknown. It was a very unstable time for both Landi and his partner – and for the entire world – when he wrote this song. Displaced from regular life, staying with their families and at times living in separate countries. The couple didn’t know what was going to happen that day, let alone later that month or year, but as long as they were able to be together, it was okay. They would go on long daily walks with no place in mind, so their daily adventures and the greater journey of what they were going through is what inspired Landi.

I had been writing and recording “Somewhere” on my own before I started working with (co-producer/recording/mixing engineer) Tyler Semrick-Palmateer. I thought the song was finished, so I played it for him and he said “This is great, but I think we should send it through my console to warm it up a bit.” It sounded way better, so we ended up doing some more work to it, essentially revamping my polished demo. We re-tracked the vocals at Tyler’s studio, the drums at my studio, and kept all of the guitars I had recorded and the bass part that Ross Miller had sent over. Tyler comes from a heavier musical background, which made my Oasis-inspired song sound like ‘Down on the Upside’ era Soundgarden. – Peter Landi

“Somewhere” continues to showcase Peter Landi‘s ability to write songs full of catchy hooks and melodies that stay stuck in your head. Drawing inspiration from giants like Tom Petty, Oasis and Queens of the Stone Age, he still manages to sound uniquely like himself.

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